


Simplicities of Kindness

by navree



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Day Two - Favorite Scene, Drabble, M/M, PARENTDALEAW2K19, basing this off that lil mini scene of fred giving fp his sandwich, because I wanted backstory for that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-27 20:46:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17773952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/navree/pseuds/navree
Summary: The look on his face is half sheer gratitude and half total indignation.Fred knows the only way to be nice to FP is to not give him a choice in the matter.





	Simplicities of Kindness

**Author's Note:**

> we had a ton of power outages so this is very :/ but try guys said sandwiches are a metaphor so sandwiches are a metaphor subway is gay culture now  
> as always, comments (either positive or constructive) are always welcome and much appreciated!

Fred's noticed it sometimes, how could he not when they've been, if not friends, then at the very least acquaintances for most of their lives? But it's Penelope who says something first, eating her lunch while sitting on Mrs. Crabbapple's desk, legs swinging idly. Fred thinks that it might be the closest she's ever come to defying authority. 

"You hungry FP?" FP looks at her blankly. Fred winces like there's been some kind of faux pas. 

"Uh, no," FP says, picking at the plaster on his cast. Behind the large lenses of her glasses, Penelope stares at him like she doesn't quite believe him. She munches on a celery stick and Fred feels like the sound echoes. Penelope keeps on staring. FP starts glaring, all defensive and squinty and looking like he's really about to throw down with a girl who's not only half his size, but has proven herself more than capable of being to take the rest of them in a fight. But all FP does is huff and grumble, 

"I'm not hungry," through what sounds like gritted teeth. Penelope shrugs and takes a sip from her thermos. 

Fred looks around, half expecting this to have been some grand showdown that has everyone staring, gape mouthed. But to everyone else, it's such a banal conversation that they don't. Hermione and Sierra playing that game with the folded paper, and Alice looks like she's doodling something elaborate on her shoes. Only Fred notices, when he turns back around, that FP's back his tight and his shoulders are hunched and he's got that look on his face. 

Like he's mad at the whole world. 

And that should be the end of it, except that the very next Tuesday, not even at detention, Penelope passes by them during their lunch period and notices that, while Fred is chowing down on Subway sandwich, FP is empty handed and the only thing in his mouth is a diatribe on why Bryan Adams is overrated. 

Fred's ignoring that for the sake of their friendship. 

"How was your lunch, FP?" Penelope sounds scolding, like a disapproving mother. FP bites on the inside of his cheek, Fred can see the way his mouth moves. Not that he spends an inordinate of time watching FP's mouth, but he's been ranting for the past minute and a half, where else is Fred supposed to look?

"It was fine," FP snaps. 

"Hm," is all Penelope says. Fred check and yep, on top of the arms crossed over her chest, one of her feet is tapping impatiently against the floor. He's having a flashback of getting a talking to from his mom. 

"Hey Pen, I really like your socks," he says casually, switching the subject. He can see Penelope's desire to demand he stop calling her 'Pen', and her legitimate pride that he likes the bumblebee striped knee highs, especially when he tilts her head and asks her where she got them because they do look cute. Blame Hermione for the fact that he knows how to "talk girl" at all. But you can blame him for the way he touches FP's arm in what he hopes is a gentle way while Penelope chatters away. 

Just because no one else knows how sucky FP's home life is, how quickly he tries to get out of that place every day, oftentimes without even any time or consideration on packing leftovers _(_ are there even leftovers in the Jones household? Fred's not sure **_)_** or making himself a quick PB&J, doesn't mean that Fred doesn't know. He knows.

And he won't betray FP's confidence, even when the next Saturday detention rolls around and he realizes that Penelope is on a veritable crusade at this point. Because she marches over to FP's designated desk and with military rigidity and precision, sticks out a plastic Tupperware.

"Have some of my apple slices." FP looks like she presented him a handful of tapeworms. "I squeeze lemon on them in the mornings so that they don't brown." 

"Yeah, thanks but no thanks." 

_It's pride_ , Fred thinks to himself as Penelope sticks her tongue out and stalks off to share the apple slices with Sierra. Pride is what makes FP reject any attempt to be taken care of at all, even if he's probably starving for those apple slices. You can't offer him anything, he'll say no. Big tough guy, Mr. Sportsguy. Fred might like FP more than he should but God FP is dumb. 

So, next Saturday, he doesn't offer. He gets up, he makes himself not one but two ham and Swiss cheese sandwiches on white bread with light mayo, adds in an extra apple and some extra chips and an extra water bottle, waits until they're left alone about thirty minutes into their ordeal, and just drops the sandwich bag directly on FP's desk without a word. 

His aim's a little off, even when just opening his hand, and it lands directly on FP's injured arm. So he's a bit busy swearing a blue streak at Fred before he notices what he's actually been given. 

"Dude-"

"No." FP's eyebrow jumps up. 

"Fred-"

"No." He's not going to let FP argue. He's not asking FP, he's telling FP. Not does FP want food, but FP wants food. So therefore FP will get food. And he seems to realize this. The look on his face is half sheer gratitude and half total indignation. And Fred could talk, could explain himself, could crouch down next to FP's desk and tells him that he cares about him, so he's gonna give him a sandwich, and it's fine, don't worry about it. 

But that's not FP's style, so he just walks over to Alice and strikes up a conversation about the merits of _Nightmare On Elm Street_ as a movie, because she had expressed an affinity for Johnny Depp in that crop top and Fred _has_ been wondering if he could pull that off. When he looks over not a minute later, FP's scarfing down the sandwich like it's the first thing he's eaten all day. Maybe it is. 

Starting Monday, Fred brings double of everything to school. It's no skin off his back, and FP needs it. And if FP needs something Fred can give, why not give it? Fred wants to give it.


End file.
